New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-16
4 NEGRO NOT admitted.
ACTION OF THE YOUNG MEMS INSTITUTE.
ITS COURSE APPROVED BY THE PARENT CHRISTIAN


ASSOCIATION.
rather delicate question has been stirred up by the
refusal Of the managers of the Young Mems Institute
branch Of the Young Mems Christian Association at Nos.
222 and 224 Bowery, to admit young colored man,
Wiltshire Payne, as member. The Young Mems Instt
tute built two years ago ~ of tho vanderbts at
o cost Of $4,000, and turned over to the Young
Mems Christian Association for o special sort
of work-largely non-feigious-among tho youths
of the Bowery and Of the lower East
side generally. 1t has library. readng-room. loungng
room gymnasium, baths, and cnssrooms where nstruc
ton is given In arithmetic bookkeeping, penmanship,
freehand and mechanical drawing and vocal music Any
Young man who can give satisfactory evidence TO his
good moral character may Join the Institute payment
OF small fec Applications not received from per-
SONS under seventeen over thr,ynve years OF
The object OF the institution is to get many young
rs possible under the influences Of books heathu sports
and pastimes and profitable night studies. No direct
effort is made TO Chrisanize them Off hand. But many
afterward become members and workers In the parent
association. which Is q strictly religious body.
Last week Mr. Payne who Is thirty three years OF agca
native OF Barbados, with light skin and good manners.
tnse lie showed hat he was member St Philips
Protestant Episcopal Church and had always borne
the Cooper Institute where he received bronze medal
e addition the sPS%sss e., 1hs
he wanted particularly to attend having some skill
say for that II. sosa a ND S
the secretary and some of the managers Of the institute
BE- sarey ssonsaesRed anu was ' "' "'
Here delicate problem for the managing commit
tee There would undoubtedly be great deal OF preu
dice against the among tho 400 odd members
S the % only %a Ns
not AZ the case The branch was more Of social body
hnaesd sS'sS Side
by establishing such social precedent There was no
objection to Mr. Payne. except his color II Is re but on
he greatest
and at the suggestion Of r. K Nc Burney the general
following letter was sent 10 tho colored applicant by tho
secretary OF the Institute:
DEAR SIR The matter about admitting ySm
ss,erday conclusion reached that
Snss sn to
o oo a e inc
feeling among members than here and therefore the rsa
is made.
Mr. Payne grew indignant over this practical denial OF
what he thought himself fairly entitled to and gave no
ce the OF the institute tina, me %oud nave
'n cevennd Dodge the PRESIDENT Of the institute
way that though the Institute was ranked the
branches OF the Young Mems Christian Association here,
character totally different from that Of the others
He continued:
Young IKE those in ne Institute have good Tany
were purely religious organization / don't that we
could the line at all But work is rather
for ms ss. "a the the future
o scS %sn p s 5s % of
failures Onr work hasn't had long
rsking anything IN soc erperl
II had better grip on the young men, more Oh
church members and Christians we might admit
half with impunity. Bat we have TO 90
sOrable cautious basis may lose tho
done already. Admitting colored mon
only few individuals 1t would probably cost
much loss In membership IN ono year thlh we
could make up from the coorel mon in ton years.
william L. Dodge. who Ia n member OF the advisory
board the Association, hut has no direct connection
with the Institute ndoTscd these views. lie thought the
managing committee had taken the only. reasonable
and that the secrearys letter hit the nicely
W W IIoppin Jr who has resigned tho presidency
OF the Young Mems Christian Association after long
term OF service said he thought the question delicate
one. but that tho Institute board was entirely ia the
right He added:
tho only practical out We don't want 10 drive
OF body Of non-regous young men Tor Tie sake OF an
small class OF applicants There no prtJudlco
OF the purely religious branches U tho
Association. We have had members ana nave some
doubt. In healthy religious atmosphere these race
preudccs disappear. But have doubt they are sun
strong IN the people among whom the Bo"ery Institute
We get that sometime; at least hope So
We must the greatest COOL out OF the Association now
ever greatest number. think policy is well
stated Secretary McBurDey IL reported saying
men. they eagerly sought Tor a. mcmbers
Secretary McBurney said yesterday that the main
branch OF the Association had always had few colOIed
members They used the library and reading room and
studied In the classes but did not work In the sym
nasiuIn. No trouble had arisen on their account.
Mr. Paynes Joining the class in mechanical draw
Ing that already full and else woud be taken
this season lie could become active member In the
Association however and have all the other privileges